Squeaky floors are as typical as old houses. Sometimes laminates can bubble. This doesn’t necessarily mean that you have termites. You might.
Termites can cause damage to a house’s floors and walls, as well as its foundation. Termites will attack flooring structures when they find food. Hardwoods are less attractive than floor joists or sub-floors and are easier to find than backings for laminate or tile floors. They can cause extensive structural damage to substructures by the time they reach the surface flooring.
Squeaking, slight lifting, and floorboards that appear to have lifted a little are all signs you can overlook. The symptoms become more apparent, and When the sagging becomes worse, the boards and tiles begin to pull away from the subfloor. Tap a screwdriver onto a buckled hardwood floor to make it sound hollow. The wood might crack under pressure.
You may also notice signs of termite infestations such as laminates that bubble-like water-damaged but no water damage, spots of discoloration (which can be overlooked if you spill too much), blistering and inexplicable piles or sawdust.
If you suspect that something is wrong, it is essential to call a professional to confirm the diagnosis immediately. It would help if you first eliminated the cause of the infestation before you can repair the flooring. Once your home has been rid of termites, you can begin the repairs.
While wood and tile floors are often repairable, laminate flooring needs to be torn up and replaced. This is not necessarily a bad thing. It allows for easier access to wooden substructures that may need to be replaced, repaired, or treated with termiticides to prevent another occurrence.
This is not something that most people can do on their own. Substructure damage can be hard to determine and may require hydraulic equipment to lift the entire house from the ground. This is a costly and challenging task, but it’s worth it if you don’t want termites ruining your floors and home. The good news is that you won’t have the squeaking to deal with anymore. Although it may not be worth the effort, this is still a nice perk.
